Annealing base plate of nesting rings



Oct. 22, 1968 p, 5, CARSKADDAN 3,406,956

- Filed Nov.

l/Vl/E/VTUR PHILLIP 5'. CARS/6400A Attorney United States Patent 3,406,956 ANNEALING BASE PLATE 0F NESTING RINGS Phillip S. Carskaddan, Monroeville, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 591,774 1 Claim. (Cl. 263-47) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Prior to the present invention, box annealing furnace supporting base plates presented resistance to the differential movement created in a coil being supported on its side on the base plate during annealing. This caused deformation of and damage to the downward edge of the coil. The present invention proposes to solve this problem by providing a box-annealing furnace supporting base plate composed of a plurality of concentric metal rings assembled in radially spaced relation whereby the supporting base plate is capable of differential movement along with a coil supported thereon during annealing.

The present invention relates generally to metallurgical annealing equipment and more particularly to an improved base plate for supporting coils of strip in a boxannealing furnace.

Prior to my invention, during the box-annealing of large coils of metal strip, significant damage occurred on the edge of the coil that rested on the supporting base plate of the annealing furnace. Such edge damage necessitated removal by slitting, and scrapping of some of the coil width, so that the original coil width could not be fully utilized. This not only increased production costs but also interrupted processing of the strip material while the damaged edges were removed. Various means have been utilized in attempts to eliminate such edge damage but none heretofore have proved entirely satisfactory.

Differential movement is created in the mass of a coil of strip during annealing due to non-uniform heating of the coil which causes the hotter portions of the coil to expand and move away from the cooler portions thereof. If the differential movement is restrained, as it was when a coil was disposed on its edge on a solid supporting base plate in accordance with prior art practice, the coil edge deforms and is damaged.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of my invention to minimize restraint of differential movement in a coil being annealed, by providing a supporting base plate capable of differential movement substantially matching the differential movement occurring in the coil.

It is a more specialized object of my invention to provide a box-annealing furnace supporting base plate composed of concentric nesting rings assembled in radially spaced relation wherein portions of the coil and portions of the supporting base plate are free to move relative to the remainder of the coil and the base plate.

These and other objects will become more apparent from the following description of my invention and the enclosed drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a box-annealing furnace provided with the supporting base plate of the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line II-II of FIGURE 1 with parts broken away for clarity.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, reference character 2 designates generally a box-annealing furnace having a supporting base plate 4 constructed in accordance with the invention.

Furnace 2 includes a cover 6, having heating elements 8 on the inner surface thereof, removably supported in a sealing medium 10, such as sand, on a masonry foundation 12. The foundation 12 is formed with a central opening 14 for accommodating a circulating fan 16. A base 18 of refractory material is upstanding on the foundation 12 to support a coil of strip metal S for annealing. The base 18 is formed with a central opening 20 for accommodating the blades of the fan 16.

As is best shown in FIGURE 1, the supporting base plate 4 of my invention is interposed between the coil S and the base 18 and is composed of concentric nesting metal rings 22 assembled in radially spaced relation. Each concentric ring 22 is physically unattached to the adjacent concentric ring.

Although I have shown the mating surfaces of the rings 22 as being frusto-conical in shape, it will be noted that the mating surfaces may be vertical, or sloped in either direction at various angles, as desired. Further, it will be understood that the base plate 4 may be made up of any number of concentric rings as desired. Also, the thickness, and inside and outside dimensions of the base plate may vary as desired.

In operation, during annealing of the coil S, differential movement of the coil mass occurs and at the same time due to its novel spaced concentric ring construction, differential movement in the supporting base plate will likewise occur. This minimizes restraint to differential movement of the coil and consequent damage to the coil edge.

It should now be apparent that I have accomplished the objects initially set forth. I have provided an improved supporting base plate for a box-annealing furnace which effectively minimizes the occurrence of damaged edges on coils during annealing. I have provided a supporting base plate comprised of a plurality of concentric nesting rings assembled physically unattached to one another so that the individual rings of the base plate can move with portions of the coil during annealing and thus offer minimum restraint to differential movement of the coil mass.

Although I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

1. A furnace for annealing coils of strip material disposed with their eyes directed vertically having side walls, a base of refractory material, and a supporting base plate resting on said refractory base composed of a plurality of concentric nesting rings assembled in radially spaced relation, said concentric nesting rings being physically unattached to one another whereby said rings are free to move relative to one another.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 688,682 12/1901 Peterson 126-211 1,268,583 6/1918 Knox 26349 1,370,113 3/1921 Janusonis 126211 2,409,384 10/ 1946 Peterson 26347 X 2,875,997 3/1959 Blackman 263-47 X 3,056,594 10/1962 Blackman et al. 263-47 JOHN J. CAMBY, Acting Primary Examiner. 

